Method of filing units of intelligence



45 able combinations of said letters.

l'WILLIAJMI F. SCHMIDT, 0F BIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

METHOD F FILING UNITS 0F INTELLIGENCE.

Specification of Letters Patient.

Patented J une 3, i919.

Original application filed May 1, 1916, Serial No. 94,659. Divided andthis application filed .Tune 18, 1917. Serial No. 175,269.

New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methodsof Filing Units of Intelligence, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention-relates to improvements in methods of filing units ofintelligence, and

is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 94,659, liled May1st, 1916.

By theuse of this invention, the methods of iiling units of intelligenceare greatly simplified, elaborate indexing and the use of confusingsubcombinations of alphabetic characters are eliminated; great latitudefor expansion or contraction is made possible and the manifoldadvantages of a numeric system without the elaborate indexing isprocured.

In accordance with this invention, units of intelligence to be filed arefirst grouped in accordance with the alphabetic character thereof intomain divisions, each of such main divisions are then identified with a`distinguishing symbol, which preferably comprises one of the primary orsecondary colors, and then each of the units of intelligence to be iledis again independently designated by a number in accordance with itsalphabetic character so that a numeric subdivision of one of saidcolored main divisions is formed and the unit of intelligence is thenfiled away in the said numeric subdivision of the said colored maindivision.

In accordance with my preferred method individual and isolatedalphabetic lletters are so identified with a series of numbers,

and preferably the digits, as to permiteach of the said numbers to beidentified with an isolated alphabetic character and also to permitinterchangeable combinations of said numbers to be identified withinterchange.-

In order so to identify such alphabetic characters eEectively with, forexample, a series of digits, I preferably arrange a predetermined seriesof numeric characters, preferably digits, into a plurality of horizontaland vertical intersecting columns, divide the alphabet, identify each ofsuch alphabetic divisions with both a vertical column and a horizontalcolumn of such numeric characters, and designate a unit of intelligencefrom the key soV formed according to the alphabetic combination of itsfiling title with a numeric combination comprising one of said series ofnumeric characters and a combination therewith of other numericcharacters in the same series.

A filing clerk will, therefore, be enabled with great'rapidity to-placedefinitely in a properly designated subdivision of the main division anygiven unit4 of intelligence. Furthermore, such unit of intelligencewill, because of its deinite location, the rapidity with which thealphabetic combination of such unit may be translated by the use of thekey into the numeric combination, and the well known ease and rapiditywith which a sequential numeric system may be handled and referred to,always be readily and quickly available. Furthermore, because of thelarge number of subdivisions which are available though not necessarilyemployed, the unit of intelligence may be filed with substantialfinality and the increase or decrease of the number of units ofintelligence or. in the amount of filing matter will not affect thesequential location of the filed units or matter.

I will now describe an outfit and key ar ranged for practising myinvention.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ling cabinet in which Vthe drawersof the cabinet are made to form main divisions of my system, and areaccordingly designated by colors;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a subdivision'or folder adapted to beinserted in the red division; ,A

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another subdivision or folder adapted tobe inserted in the yellow main division; and

Fig. 4 is a chart containing respectively my novel color classificationkey and my number assignment key employed in my filing system.

"Referring now to these drawings which illustrate a preferred outfit forpractising my invention, A indicates a iling cabinet which, as shown, isdivided into eight main divisions 4or drawers which in accordance withmy filing system are each marked with a distinguishing color preferablyin the followering sequential order: The drawer l is 'marked with theprimary color red, the

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drawer 2 with the primary color yellow, the drawer 3 with the primarylcolor blue, the drawer 4 with the secondary color orange, the drawer 5with the secondary color green, the drawer 6 with the secondary colorpurple,the drawer 7 with the basic color white and the drawer 8 with thecolor black. Thesevcolor designations with the exception of the colorblackf which is preferably reserved for confidential communications,are, by means of a color-classification key shown at the top of thechart in Fig. 4, identified with the alphabet, so that-a unit ofintelligence tofbe grouped or classified may, through its alphabeticalcharacter, be instantaneously classified as belonging to a predeterminedroup. 1

It will be obvious that the prismatic colors used will be readilyvdiscernible and distinguishable by an operator at a greater distancethan would for instance alphabetic designations, and furthermore theelimination of such alphabetic designations for the main divisions ofthe file will not only tend to greatly simplify the designations of themain divisions but when such color designations are used in combinationwith the numeric designations hereinafter referred to will permit agreat reduction of the main divisions of the system.

In identifying such colors with the alphabet I preferably divide thealphabet into sections, each beginning with a vowel or a semivowel, andone of said colors is assigned to each of these alphabetic sections. Byso subdividing the alphabet, I provide anaid to memory and also producean initial distribution of great uniformity.

The main divisions so designated as aforesaid are subdivided preferablyinto numeric subdivisions each of which, as illustrated herein,preferably comprises a folder such as illustrated by the numerals 9 and10 respectively, (Figs. 3 and 4). Each'of these subdividing folders ispreferably provided with a color designation corresponding to the colorof the main division or group in which it is adapted to be employed orinserted. For example, the folder 9 (Fig. 3)

Ihas printed thereon in red an oblong symbol 11 and the folder 10 hasprinted thereon in yellow a similar symbol 12. The folders so marked ordesignated are preferably furnished to the user in sets and it will beobvious that a set of such folders will be useful independently of thecompartments comprising aforesaid main divisions and may be employed asa temporary color-classification outfit. Furthermore, a folder sodesignated will, when removed from its' place in a drawer, irrevocablyretain its group classification as well as its numeric designation thederivation of which will now be described. y

one or more isolated alphabetic letters as.

distinguished from identifying a digit or number with a group of suchletters. l Pref-l erably the digits are in squared relationship to andidentified with the alphabet. "In this 'key as illustrated the sevenvowels and semivowels are omitted for the purpose of providingcompactness, reducing the size of and simplifying the key and also to soreduce the number of letters as to make the same divisible by the totalnumber of digits, to

ywit: ten. The aforesaid omissions .leave remaining nineteen consonantswhich with the character & makes twenty characters which when divided inhalf and placed in double rows, as illustrated in said number assignmentkey, may be columned and alined evenly in squared relationship with saiddigits O to 9 inclusive. By )lacing the digits in such squared relationsiip to the consonants, as illustrated in the said key in said Fig. 4, Iam enabled to permit a digit and all possible and interchangeablenumeric combinations of the other digits therewith to be readilyassigned to and identified with one or more isolated consonants oralphabetic characters in thel key and such combinations with saidcharacter as will be found ina filing title, and-.l may allow theomitted vowels and semi-vowels to be given the designation 0'. Thevowels and semivowels may be so designated without any confusionwhatsoever and the doubling up of two consonants may be accomplishedwithout any repetition and confusion whatsoever because of the isolationof the characters so doubled, the previous splitting up into groups ofsuch alphabetic characters and the identification of a color with eachgroup. Thus, while the characters B and N, for example, are placed inprecisely the same relationship with the digits, the main or coloreddivisions of such.' characters will be maintaining its numeric sequence.It will be apparent, therefore, that the filing clerk of the well lmownease and rapidity with which a sequential numeric systemmay be handledand referred to, always be readily and quickly available.

The omission of the vowels and semivowels and the arrangement of theconsonants as illustrated, together with their alinement with thesquared digits, will provide an aid to memory in case of the loss of thechart because in the color key the vowels split the alphabet intdsections while in thenumeric key the vowels are omitted.

rlhe operation of my filing system ap lied to a system in'` whichthree-letter combina'- tions are employed is as follows:

The grouping of the units into main divisions is accomplished by takingthe first letter of the heading, title or subject of the unit ofintelligence, consulting the colorclassification key and designatingeither mentally or by writing the color division in which such letter isfound. Thus in Automobiles the first letter being ,A is found in the reddivision and Reports, the first letter being R will be found in theorange division. Now, for the purpose of placing the word Automobile inits numericallydesignated subdivision, we take the first three lettersAut thereof and, consulting the number-assignment key, we find that theletters a and -u being vowels will give u s two ciphers, 00; there istherefore but one letter to designate with a numeral. Consulting thealphabetic letters extending horizontally we find that directly beneatht in the first horizontal row of figures is the numeral 6 so that thenumeric designation of the subdivision will be 006. Thus the title,

heading ,or subject Automobile will vbev filed in subdivision 006 of thered main 4 will be found in the first horizontal row under R and thiswill give as the first numeral of the designation the number 4, the nextletter e being a vowel gives a cipher and we have the partialdesignation 40 for the designation' of the next consonant p we consultthe letters extending vertically and take that one of the series ofnumerals placed in horizontal alinementwith the letter p which is in thesame vertiinitial letter.

' be found to be 452, the third numeral being in the same verticalcolumn as the first two but" in horizontal alinement with the letter lSimilarly A M A representing American Manufacturing and Selling Co.vwill have the designation 000 in the red drawer. Having` described myinvention, I claim: l. The method of filing units off intelligerce whichcomprises first the grouping of such units in accordance with thealphabetic character thereof into main divisions `and assigning aydistinguishable symbol to each of such main divisionsand thenindependently identifying isolated alphabetic characters of said unitwith numbers and filing the unit o f intelligence in accordance withsaid symbolic and numeric designations.

(f2. The method of filing units of intelligence which comprises firstthe'grouping of such units in accordance with the alphabetic characterthereof into main` divisions, the assigning to each of such maindivisions of a color and the independent designation of the unit ofintelligence by number in accordance with its alphabetic character toyform a numeric subdivision of said colored main division and the filingaway- 0f lche unit of intelligence in said numeric subdivision.

3. The steps in the method of filing units v unit of intelli ence intosimilar interchangeable combinations of 'the individual numbers of saidseries, and filing the unit accordingly.y Y

"4. The method of filing units of intelligence which comprises thegrouping of such units of intelligence into main divisions and assigningto each such main division of a distinguishable symbol, thenindependently identifying the individual letters of the alphabet with aseries of digits and the translating ofthe various compound and complexcombinations of the alphabetic letters of the ling title of the unit ofintelligence into simllar compound and complex combinations of theindividual digits of said series, and filing the unit accordingly.

5. The step in the method of filing units of intelligence comprising thearranging of a predetermined series of numeric characters into a-plurality of horizontal and vertical intersecting columns, dividing thealphabet,

identifying each of such alphabetic divisions with both a verticalcolumn and a horizontal column of numeric characters, and designating aunit of intelligence from the key so formed according to the alphabeticcombination of its filing title with a numeric combination comprisingone of said series of numeric characters and a combination therewith ofother numeric characters in the same series.

The method of filing units of intelligence comprising the dividing of asystem into main alphabetic divisions, the assigning to each of suchmain divisions of a symbol,

.the arranging of a predetermined series'of digits into a pluralit ofhorizontal and Vertical intersecting co umns, dividing vthe alphabetinto sets of charactersz identifyingeach "of such sets of alphabeticcharacters with a vertical column and also with a horizontal column ofnumeric digits and designating a unit of intelligence from the key soformed according to the alphabetical combination of its filing titleWith a numeric' combination comprising one of said series of digits andthe combination therewith of otherA digits in the same series.

In Witness whereof, I have signed my name to the foregoing specificationin the presence of two subscribing Witneses.

' WILLAM F. SCHMIDT.

Witnesses:

HELEN VQWHIDDEN,

STALLo VINToN.

